The Stable Block

The Stable Block

This is a stable complex, now converted to offices and stores, built around 1785 by George Steuart for the first Lord Berwick. It is constructed of red brick with grey Grinshill sandstone ashlar dressings, principally facing south. The building forms a square courtyard plan with projecting pyramidal-roofed corner pavilions. It stands one storey and loft to two storeys in height.

The south front comprises 9 bays in a 1:3:1:3:1 rhythm. It features a plinth and impost band to blind-arched arcading, a frieze, moulded cornice, and blocking course. The windows are glazing bar sashes with blind lunettes above, though some have been replaced by late 20th-century imitations. Each end pavilion has a plinth, corner piers, first-floor cill string, frieze, moulded cornice, and blocking course. The projecting central pavilion contains a plinth and moulded impost band to a central blocked round carriage arch, flanked by paired Tuscan pilasters supporting a frieze, moulded cornice, and interrupted balustraded parapet.

The courtyard elevation of the south range has 9 bays in a 3:3:3 rhythm. The central pavilion displays a blocked carriage arch and an inserted flush-panelled door with radial fanlight.

The east front features end pavilions with recessed blind round arches and glazing bar sashes with radial lunettes above an impost band. The central block, which serves as entrance and coach house, comprises 7 bays in a 2:1:1:1:2 rhythm. It has a frieze, moulded cornice, blocking course, and hipped roof with two ridge stacks and two end stacks. A central 3-bay projection displays blind round arches flanking a central break containing a round carriage arch with blind tympanum and pair of gates, surmounted by a triangular pediment. The courtyard elevation of the east range contains 17 bays in a 4:4:1:4:4 rhythm. The central 9-bay block features round-arched arcaded ground floor with pairs of panelled coach-house doors and recessed blind tympana. The central break has a round carriage arch with blind tympanum and triangular pediment above.

The west front has 15 bays in a 1:6:1:6:1 rhythm with a plinth, impost band, and moulded eaves cornice. Blind round-arched arcading runs across the façade. The central pavilion has a plinth, stepped end piers, moulded string course, frieze, moulded cornice, and coped parapet with balustraded centre, containing a boarded door. The courtyard elevation comprises 9:1:9 bays with a central projection featuring a pair of flush-panelled doors with radial fanlight, flanking wide pilaster strips, and triangular pediment.

The north range has a courtyard front of 5:1:5 bays. The centrepiece contains a plinth, moulded impost band, and paired Tuscan pilasters supporting a frieze and triangular pediment, with a central pair of flush-panelled doors with radial fanlight.

The interior of the north and west ranges retains 18th-century stalls with flush-panelled dividers featuring ogee-curved tops and end posts with banded urn finials. The back wall is boarded with arcaded mangers and name panels. Brick floors and plaster ceilings with dentil cornices are evident throughout. Some formerly blind windows, including those in the south front, have been opened in the late 20th century. The complex was designed to accommodate 60 horses.